Hydroponics is a method of growing plants like spinach without soil. Instead of soil, hydroponic systems use nutrient-rich water solutions to provide the necessary nutrients to the plants. There are many advantages to growing spinach hydroponically, including faster growth rates, higher yields, and reduced water usage. Spinach is a particularly good plant to grow using hydroponics for several reasons.
Kratky Method Spinach
How long does spinach take to grow hydroponically?
First, spinach has a relatively short growth cycle, which makes it an ideal crop for hydroponic systems. Spinach can be harvested as early as 30 days after planting, which means that hydroponic growers can turn over crops quickly and continuously throughout the year. This allows for a more consistent supply of fresh spinach, which is a valuable commodity for grocery stores and restaurants.
Does spinach grow well hydroponically?
Second, spinach is a leafy green vegetable, which means that it has a relatively small root system compared to other crops. This makes it well-suited for hydroponic systems, which typically use smaller containers and less growing media than traditional soil-based systems. The smaller root system also makes it easier to maintain nutrient levels in the water, as there is less competition for resources.
Third, spinach is a heavy feeder, which means that it requires a lot of nutrients to grow. Hydroponic systems are able to provide these nutrients in a more efficient and precise manner than soil-based systems. In a hydroponic system, the nutrient solution is delivered directly to the roots of the plants, which allows for more rapid uptake of nutrients. This can result in faster growth rates and higher yields.
Kratky Method Spinach in IBC hydroponic tanks
How do you grow spinach in hydroponic water?
Fourth, hydroponic systems offer better control over growing conditions, which can be particularly important for spinach. Spinach grows best in cool temperatures and can be difficult to grow in hot, dry conditions. Hydroponic growers can control the temperature, humidity, and light levels in their systems to provide optimal growing conditions for spinach. They can also control the nutrient levels in the water to ensure that the plants have everything they need to thrive.
Adding Hydroponic Nutrient Solution to the IBC Tanks
Fifth, hydroponic systems are more efficient in their use of water than traditional soil-based systems. In a hydroponic system, water is recirculated through the system, which means that less water is needed overall. This is particularly important in areas with limited water resources, where hydroponic systems can help to conserve water while still producing high yields of fresh produce.
In conclusion, spinach is an ideal crop for hydroponic systems for several reasons. Its short growth cycle, small root system, heavy nutrient requirements, and need for precise growing conditions make it well-suited for hydroponic production. Hydroponic systems also offer the advantage of being more water-efficient than traditional soil-based systems, which is particularly important in areas with limited water resources. Overall, hydroponic production of spinach is a promising approach to meeting the growing demand for fresh, healthy produce.
We are trying our Lincoln and Oregon Sugar Pod peas in our hydroponic barrels. I started the pea seeds in doors on Jan 22nd, 2023, just short of 3 weeks ago and today I moved them to their new home in our 55 gallon blue hydroponic barrels. From here I will string them up and they will have all the nutrient rich water they will need. I am using the Kratky Method like we do with our Spinach, lettuce and other greens. This will be our first try at hydroponic peas!
Lincoln Peas in our Kratky Method Barrels!
Lincoln Peas and Oregon Sugar Pod II Peas are two popular varieties of garden peas that are grown for their sweet and tasty pods.
Lincoln Peas are an heirloom variety of pea that was first developed in the early 1800s. They are a tall, vining plant that grows up to 6 feet in height, with large, bright green leaves. The pods are typically 4-5 inches long and are a deep green color. The peas inside are medium-sized, round, and sweet, with a crunchy texture. They are a popular choice for gardeners, as they are easy to grow, produce a high yield, and are versatile in the kitchen. Lincoln Peas are most often used in salads and stir-fries, but they can also be used in soups, stews, and other dishes.
Oregon Sugar Pod Peas in Kratky Method Barrels
Oregon Sugar Pod II Peas, on the other hand, are a modern hybrid variety that was first introduced in the late 1900s. They are a compact, bushy plant that grows to a height of 2-3 feet, with smaller leaves than the Lincoln Pea. The pods are shorter, at 2-3 inches, but are still a bright green color. The peas inside are small, sweet, and crunchy, and they are packed with flavor. Oregon Sugar Pod II Peas are a popular choice for gardeners, as they are very easy to grow and produce a high yield. They are also very versatile in the kitchen, and are most often used in salads and stir-fries, but can also be used in soups, stews, and other dishes.
Both Lincoln Peas and Oregon Sugar Pod II Peas are easy to grow and maintain, and they are ideal for gardeners of all levels of experience. They are most commonly grown from seed, and they can be planted directly in the garden or started indoors and then transplanted. They prefer a well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter, and they should be watered regularly to keep the soil moist. They also do well in full sun, but they can tolerate some shade.
If you are looking for a sweet, crunchy, and healthy addition to your garden, then consider growing Lincoln Peas or Oregon Sugar Pod II Peas.
Being an avid chess player has taught me to think as many moves into the future as possible. So two years ago when I came across these food grade IBC totes for cheap on Facebook, I knew they would fit in to my future plans some how. Future options included water storage, irrigation, or even fire control. I had also started my rabbit hole research into types of container gardening. While I didn’t know exactly which slot they would fit into, I knew they were coming home with me.
Fast forward to September 2022. I have my greenhouse erected, and enclosed. The doors are hung and while still a work in progress, the time had come to move forward with getting some things growing! I had been experimenting with different types of container growing by now and had it down to two types of planters. The first was self wicking planter boxes. The idea here is to create a well of water under the soil and allow the soil to wick the water up to the surface. I’ve had great success with this method in 5 gallon buckets and blue 55 gallon barrels. My initial plan on these totes was to start with the wicking tub idea then if need be move on to second idea of using them for hydroponic tanks. My plans for the self wicking planter and the hydroponic tank used the same layout and plumbing so I moved forward still undecided.
I started by taking my sketches off paper and getting a real world visualization of how the tanks would be arranged. Using empty feed bags and a tape measure, I laid them out to represent the rows of tanks. Imagined working in each tank, maybe moving our cart in between each row. My greenhouse is 30′ by 30′ with 6 5′ bays. My original plan was to put a row between each bay, but the reality was that it was just to crowded. I settled on 5 rows evenly spaced, two tanks placed end to end.
The IBC totes are encased in a steel frame with a built in pallet on the bottom. Since my plan was to cut each tote in half, I needed an additional pallet to even up the top half with the bottom half. I found plastic pallets on Craigslist that would give me both long term durability and the height I needed. The first step was to get the gravel bed level. Using the pallets as placeholders, I was able to use my 4′ framing level to get everything set.
Once the gravel bed was ready, I pulled everything out and laid down the ground fabric. I wanted the ground fabric over the top of the gravel bed to keep dropped seeds from sprouting. Also, while its not my nature, my vision was to have a super tidy greenhouse! 🙂
I’ll write up a different post where I go over the process of cutting the IBC totes into two pieces. At this point I am still pondering between the two options however something was giving me the confirmation I needed while I was working. If you look to the right of these photos, you’ll see 55 gallon blue barrels. In my past experiments, I used the Kratky Method for growing cucumbers. Based on the great success I found using that method, I set up a row of test barrels with peppers, zucchini, squash and more cucumbers. Everything exploded and was growing like mad! Seeing the results of these barrels I opted to move forward with the second option and go full steam ahead and set these tanks up as hydroponics.
Blocking sunlight is key for keeping algae at bay. This also helps promote better root growth. From my research I found most people doing this set up either painted the exterior of the tanks or wrapped in black plastic. I happened to have a roll of black tar paper that was needing a purpose. I cut strips to fit between the tank and the cages. Only had a few tears which were easily repaired with black gorilla tape.
In the countless hours of researching hydroponic options I settled on using the Kratky Method. One of my main goals for the greenhouse is to have it as grid independent and low maintenance as possible. Most hydroponic systems require pumps to move the nutrient solution and oxygenate the water. Pumps require electricity, if the power stops, the system fails. I opted for the Kratky Method for its simplicity and zero reliance on pumps and electricity. After blacking out the tanks, I needed to frame the tops. Framing them off gives them a very clean look but mostly will give me a way to support and contain the rigid foam boards where the net pots will be set. For the framing I used 1″x4″ pine strips which I primed with Killz primer. Its late September and I’m up against the clock so I’ll come back and get these painted later. I’m using 2″ net pots for the lettuce and spinach so I went with 1/2″ rigid foam boards. This thickness helps get the net pots closer to the nutrient solution. I wrapped black gorilla tape around the edges to keep it tidy and extend the life of the foam.
Having never done this before, and not having a lot of resources to go off, I opted to use 2″ net cups, in staggered rows, 8″ apart. A 2″ door hole drill bit run in reverse cuts the foam board cleanly and is a perfect fit for the cups. The first 2″ net cups I ordered were very cheap and had a super thin rim. I returned them and found these heavy duty cups with wide lips. I am super happy with them!
Since we are using the Kratky Method, we are following his nutrient solution recommendations and using a combination of MasterBlend 8-16-36, 15.5-0-0 Calcium Nitrate and Epsom Salt. I will write up a full post on the process we use for this. We just call it Gatorade, giving the plants all the electrolytes they crave. 😉
Its nearly the end of September and summer has started to fade into fall. I’m under pressure to see if I can get some kind of harvest in these initial tanks. Also, since I don’t have my wood stove installed into the greenhouse, I don’t have a heat source. The clock is ticking. With that, I’m only going to start with three tanks. One tank will be lettuce and two tanks will be dedicated to spinach. I had starts from a different project ready to go. I transplanted them into the net cups using perlite as the support medium.
That wrapped up my initial hydroponic tank set up. I had other things on my fall to-do list and had to move on. Its now 3 months later, New Years Eve 2022 as I write this. We have had typical Pacific Northwest weather with one brief week of 14 degree weather and a few days of freezing rain. I wasn’t ready to lose the incredible results of this just yet. I setup the remaining foam boards around the main tank and added a heat lamp. It worked and things are still rocking. If you’ve made it this far, make sure to watch the video’s in my gallery that show all the results of our efforts.
